College Spreadsheet

[MamaSprout]

So I did a college spreadsheet for Dds potential college choices. It is surprisingly helpful to see everything in one place. Answering some of the sections forced us to look at some schools objectively. We dropped 2 and added 2 others that we hadn't considered.

Edited October 24, 2020 by MamaSprout

[kirstenhill]

I'd love to know what info you included for consideration in your spreadsheet.  I just started helping DD16 put one together as she is just beginning the college search.  We are using it for very basic info right now - location, turion cost, number of students, etc.   She is interested in a less-common major so we're filling it out for every school within about a day's drive that has the major she's most interested in. 

[MamaSprout]

Majors/ minors/ languages to study were a big part if ours. Acceptance rate, tuition, merit aid/ scholarships and how food  allergy friendly the campus is were other factors. 
 

I also included SAT/ ACT/ GPA data. 

[Arch at Home]

In addition to above, I include the results or running each school's cost calculator, their ACT/SAT 25 - 75% range, diversity numbers if that is important to the student, whether schools is test optional (though this might change next year), and depending on the types of schools being considered whether the schools nd/or financial aid in 100% need-based, and/or admissions is need blind, 

Edited October 25, 2020 by Arch at Home

[RootAnn]

I included some of the above, bit I also included what the school's used for placement for certain classes (math placement test vs ACT score, foreign language placement info), size of student body, and size of campus (acre-wise). This was helpful so that after she visited a couple she could cross off or add more schools of the same size.

[teachermom2834]

For mine I put the results of the net price calculator. I also put automatic scholarships and corresponding ACT score. The scholarships were such that if he had a 32, one school was cheapest, but a 33 made another cheaper, etc. A point can make a dramatic difference in how automatic scholarships played out. Of, course, that info needs to be verified each year but, honestly, so do alot of the other categories. 

My kids are pretty standard with readily available majors and they don't have any unusual interests so our info document was primarily about cost. That has been the biggest factor for us.

[MerryAtHope]

Distance was a factor for us. If time to travel to/from, frequency of trips home, or being able to support in person occasionally is important, location can matter quite a bit.